'Never expected a battery explosion could destroy lives'

A FAMILY is appealing for help after a fire ripped through their North Toowoomba business last Thursday, causing their "hard work to go up in flames".

In a post to her GoFundMe page, owner of Bellevue St business Leesa Sheedy said the fire was caused by a battery explosion in a cordless power tool, which happened minutes after her partner Tim walked out of the door.

"Tim saw smoke coming from the shed and turned back only to see all our hard work going up in flames and not a thing he could do to save it," she said in the post.

"We are just the average family and (have) been working so hard to build up my partners dream and passion of building unique furniture and it's all gone in just minutes.

"Customer orders, machinery, tools, a mowing business which helped to pay our bills and over $30,000 in stock and materials that had taken such a long time to build up."

Firefighters at the scene of a structure fire on Bellevue St near Bridge St in North Toowoomba.Neville Madsen

Ms Sheedy said the family would try and rebuild the business.

"I'm asking for help which is so out of my comfort zone and I would appreciate any help at all to try recover some loss so we can purchase more tools and materials to rebuild the lost customer orders and start over again," she said.

Ms Sheedy posted this photo of the damage to her GoFundMe page.

"We unfortunately have no insurance to cover our loss as we were unable to afford it with costs of living, children to feed, bills to pay, house and car insurance and the list goes on.

"So wrong, devastated and not knowing how much we will also need to pay (to) our neighbouring shed as they have extensive damage to recover as well."

She said the couple had planned to insure the business when they had gained more income, adding the couple "never expected a simple cordless battery explosion could destroy (their) lives".